FEDERATION OF LABOUR

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 September 1939, Page 5

FEDERATION OF LABOUR

APPEAL TO ALL WORKERS. FIGHT AGAINST AGGRESSION [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, September 7. An appeal to the workers of all countries to make common cause in the fight against the aggression and dictatorship of Nazism is made by the president of the New Zealand Federation of Labour (Mr. A. McLagan) in a statement which was issued to-day. The Nazis’ treatment of the people of Austria and Czechoslovakia had been marked by the sajne ruthless oppression that had characterised their treatment of the German people and it was all too evident that the same fate was in store for any other people who might fall into their power, he said. “The New Zealand Federation of Labour desires to place on record its complete unity with the Government of New Zealand and the governments of Great Britain and France in the steps they have taken, and are taking, to oppose and halt the unprovoked, wanton, and brutal aggression of Nazism and dictatorship,” said Mr. McLagan. “The federation has repeatedly expressed its sympathy with the victims of this aggression, both inside Germany and in other countries which have been over-run by the Nazis. “We have repeatedly advocated the formation of a league of the peoples of democratic countries for . mutual self-defence, and for the preservation of freedom and civilisation, and everything that makes life worth while. Now that at last a stand is being made against forces that seek to arrest and turn back the wheels of human progress we give it our unqualified support.

HITLER’S GUILT. “We desire to record our belief that Herr Hitler had not the slightest excuse for invading Poland. 'Any legitimate grievance Germany may have had in regard to Danzig or the Polish Corridor could have been investigated and settled according to international justice at a conference convened under the auspices of the League of Nations. We believe that not only was every opportunity given to Herr Hitler to secure such a settlement; but that every possible effort was made to persuade him to do sb. In spite of all efforts, Herr Hitler has deliberatelyrefused to abide by the principles of reason and justice. He has deliberately plunged Europe into a war that may result in the loss of millions of innocent lives. The guilt is his alone. “Nazism is the enemy of everything that is valuable to the useful people of the world. It is enough to observe what the German dictatorship has done 'to large sections of the German people to realise that it is the enemy of mankind. As soon as they seized power in Germany they cruelly and systematically 'oppressed the best sections of the German people. Trade union and co-operative organisations of the German workers have been broken up or seized, and made to serve Herr Hitler’s' ends. Wages have been reduced (according to official Nazi figures as collected by a leading British economist) by more than 30 per cent. Hours of work have been increased, and the rights of workers , have been trampled on, and ruthlessly suppressed. When Herr Hitler seized power there were 8,000,000 trade unionists in Germany. To-day there is only the travesty of unionism that is permitted by Herr Hitler, and is operated to oppress the workers.

“The efforts of the best of the German people to preserve the liberties they had gained have been met with the headsman’s axe, with concentration camps, and their barbaric tortures, and with exile. German thought, which had made so many valuable contributions to world knowledge, has been placed in chains. The German people, who have given so much to human knowledge in every branch of science, literature, art, and philosophy, dare not express an opinion of their own. They dare not attempt to form their own scientific, cultural, and social organisations. German trade unionists, and Socialists, who have given so many outstanding figures to the international labour movement, cannot form a trade union of their own.

GERMAN PEOPLE NOT BLAMED. “We wish it to be clearly understood that we do not blame the German people for the present catastrophe, and that we are not animated by any feeling of bitterness toward them. We know that the dictatorship that has plunged Europe into war is the enemy of the German people, as well ?.s the enemy of other European peoples. We believe that in helping to stop Nazi aggression'-* we are helping the German people. We extend the hand of friendship to the German people, and we pledge ourselves to help them to throw off the tyranny tjiat is enslaving them. We believe our democracy, is worth working for, and worth fighting for. With this end in view, we pledge our support to our comrades of the trade union' movement in Great Britain and. France in their fight against aggression and for the liberty of the people throughout the world.

“We shall do everything in our power to support our Government during the struggle. We pledge ourselves to co-operate with the Government in carrying on the country’s work, and in maintaining production at the highest possible level. We trust the struggle will be mercifully brief, that reason will soon return in the international sphere, and that a lasting peace, based or. the principles of justice and democracy will soon be secured. Until then, we pledge our wholehearted support in the struggle against aggression and against the attempted rule of force in international affairs. We appeal to the workers of all countries including the workers of Germany to make a common cause in the fight against aggression and dictatorship, and for human justice, liberty, and international brotherhood.”